The Northeast's first major storm of the season slammed the region with more than a foot of windblown snow early Sunday, canceling church services and shutting down airline flights from Washington to Boston. Blizzard warnings were posted for much of the Northeast and the New York metro area, with predictions of wind gusting up to 50 mph, the National Weather Service said. Heavy snow warnings were in place from eastern Kentucky to New England. The weather service predicted as much as 2 feet of snow across the metro region. By 8 a.m., a foot had accumulated in Central Park as the flakes fell at a rate of about 2 inches an hour. Philadelphia's northern and western suburbs measured up to 18 inches, and 10 to 15 inches of snow accumulated by 8 a.m. throughout northeastern New Jersey, the weather service said. ... http://abcnews.go.com

Tony Blair has said claims of abuse by soldiers "will be investigated" after images that appeared to show UK troops beating Iraqi youths were published. The News of the World has published pictures from a video the newspaper says was shot in southern Iraq in 2004. Mr Blair said the "overwhelming majority" of troops in Iraq "behave properly" and do a "great job for our country and for the wider world". The Ministry of Defence has launched an investigation into the video images. A military spokesman in Iraq condemned "all acts of abuse and brutality" by British troops, saying the allegations related to a "tiny number" of soldiers. On the tape, described as a "secret home video", an unidentified cameraman is heard laughing and urging his colleagues on. It was apparently filmed for fun by a corporal. ...http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4705482.stm

Russia's plans to talk to Palestinian election winner Hamas drew a low-key response on Sunday from Israeli interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, according to remarks attributed to him by a government official. "I think the Russian position is mistaken, as I have stated. But from what they said to us during the weekend, they will demand Hamas recognize Israel and give up terror," the official quoted Olmert as telling his cabinet at its weekly meeting. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he would invite leaders of Hamas, an Islamic militant group dedicated to Israel's destruction, to Moscow to talks following its victory in the January 25 Palestinian parliamentary election. ...http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1609033

The tiny South Pacific territory of Tokelau is voting on whether to become one of the world's smallest self-governing states. The 1,500 islanders are holding a referendum, which could reclaim Tokelau's sovereignty for the first time in 120 years. Tokelau - made up of three coral atolls which have no airport, roads or capital - has been governed by New Zealand. Four UN observers have made the 28-hour trip. Votes will be collected by ship. Each island - Atafu, Nukunonu and Fakaofo - will vote on successive days. Tokelauans based in the Samoan capital Apia, some 300 miles (500km) south, voted on Saturday. Results of the referendum are expected within five days. Tokelau's three specks of land make up just 4.7 sq miles (12 sq km), lying halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. ...http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4705704.stm

Six inmates, including two who are charged with murder, escaped from the Cook County Jail during the night by taking advantage of short staffing, authorities said Sunday.Two of the escapees were captured in suburban Oak Park, police said.The inmates escaped around midnight from a special housing unit for inmates with disciplinary problems, where only one guard was on duty instead of two, said Cook County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Bill Cunningham....http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11307824/from/RSS/

Several tourist beaches along Australia's popular Gold Coast were closed again Sunday because of a massive feeding frenzy involving more than 100 sharks, a lifeguard official said.Several beaches in Queensland state were closed for the second straight day after more than 100 hammerhead, gray nurse and whaler sharks were spotted feeding close to shore, said Sue Neil, spokeswoman for Surf Lifesaving Queensland.Neil said most swimmers were staying out of the water, but some surfers were putting themselves at risk by coming within yards of the feeding frenzy."When they (sharks) feed on the bait fish they do close their eyes and there is a danger of collision," she said. "If they are chomping, they could very easily chomp on humans."...http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-02-12-sharks_x.htm?csp=34